1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to personal emergency response systems, and more particularly to a remotely controlled system for activating the enhanced 911 emergency response system and communicating with the 911 dispatcher during an emergency.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various forms of personal alarm systems have been developed which permit the user to send a transmission to a monitoring station during an emergency. Typically the user activates a transmitter or other device located at his or her residence or place of business, and the transmitter in turn activates a remote subscriber station which communicates with the monitoring station at another location. Upon activation of the subscriber unit in response to a predetermined event, an alarm message is transmitted via a communications link to the monitoring station. The monitoring station responds to alarm messages generated by the remote station. Emergency assistance in the form of voluntary responders (e.g, friends, neighbors, etc.) is then sent in response to the alarm received by the monitoring station. Once the voluntary responder arrives on the scene and determines that a life threatening emergency exists, the responder dials 9-1-1 for the victim.
Various forms of communications links are used to permit the remote subscriber station to communicate with the monitoring station. Those communications links include telephone lines, cable television transmission lines, radio frequency paths or dedicated land lines. Most systems utilize telephone lines because they are widely available and require minimal installation expense.
Remote subscriber units typically come in various forms, such as those which are automatically activated upon expiration of a predetermined time period and reset by operation of electrical switches, television sets, radios, refrigerators, stoves or telephones; those which use hard wired activators; and those which use portable transmitters using radio frequency, infrared or ultrasonic transmission media. Most systems utilize a hand held radio frequency transmitter for activating the remote subscriber unit.
Examples of such devices and systems can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,350 issued to Wagner et al. on Apr. 9, 1985 which discloses a wrist worn transmitter with a push button trigger, and a base receiver unit attached to the telephone lines. Upon activation of the transmitter, the base unit dials the first of up to four stored telephone numbers and plays a digitized message. The recipient of the message can stop or repeat the message using touch tone signals; U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,243 issued to Shapiro on Jun. 18, 1985 which discloses a personal alarm system which is triggered by the failure of the subscriber to activate a reset switch within a predetermined period of time; U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,368 issued to Dibner on Dec. 20, 1977 which discloses a digital dialer-transceiver connected to a telephone line which is triggered by an emergency button or the running out of a timer. When activated, the transceiver transmits identification and alarm codes to a compatible digital transceiver at a monitoring station and at the same time emits an alarm signal at the residence. The monitoring station operator then contacts care-givers who go to the residence and reset the unit; U.S. Pat. No. 3,989,900 issued to Dibner on Nov. 2, 1976 which discloses an alarm system for automatically sending a telephone message or other remote signal in case help is needed by a person residing alone. In one version, the telephone is automatically dialed at predetermined intervals and an audible warning is sounded so that the person can abort the message. In another version, a high speed digital dialer and transmitter are used; U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,059 issued to Shapiro on Nov. 28, 1989 which discloses test equipment for use with emergency response systems wherein subscriber units are activated and signals or messages are sent to a monitoring station via radio or telephone communications links; U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,602 issued to Reich et al. on Mar. 13, 1990 which discloses an apparatus and method for testing a portable held button for an emergency response system; U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,060 issued to Shapiro on Nov. 28, 1989 which discloses a multi-state selection switch for a personal emergency response system; German No. 2703923 which discloses a personalized alarm system which couples an individual with a central monitoring station with a transmitter-receiver. The signals from the transmitter-receiver are passed to the monitoring station containing a facility for timing signals and generating signals requiring a response. The system is readily adapted to allow the generation of a specific range of call signals, that in extreme cases provide automatic connection to the police services; French No. 2449934 which discloses an apparatus for sending prerecorded messages to an emergency service monitoring station; German No. 2743476 which discloses a personal protection system having a portable transceiver with coded functions for transmitting emergency signals to a monitoring station; French No. 2575125 which discloses a portable transmitter with a multi-state warning signal. When the transmitter button is pushed for a short period, a warning of risk is sent. When the button is held down for longer than two seconds, an emergency is declared; U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,291 issued to Stillwell on Dec. 12, 1989 which discloses a monitoring system for annunciating emergencies; U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,538 issued to Farrell on Feb. 9, 1988 which discloses an emergency roadside telephone communications system; U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,182 issued to Millsap et al. on Mar. 18, 1986 which discloses a cellular based radio alarm system; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,319 issued to Bially on Apr. 7, 1987 which discloses an alarm system tester for verifying operation of subscriber stations.
Although the foregoing patents describe devices and systems which can dial telephones or send alarm signals, none of them permit the user to communicate directly with the monitoring station operator or, in particular, a 9-1-1 dispatcher during an emergency, via standard telephone lines. Therefore, it is not possible for the monitoring station operator to know the exact nature of a personal emergency. Systems such as these are the source of frequent false alarms and often lengthy delays due to the number or "middle men" involved before the victim receives the proper emergency assistance (e.g., fire, police, paramedics, etc.) Delays of over thirty minutes are not uncommon.
The foregoing patents reflect the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and are tendered with the view toward discharging applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that none of these patents teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, applicant's invention.